Police-youth relation sees a silver lining

Even as the relationship between the police and youth seem to go through a rough patch with recent use of force on each other, 22 reformed youth under the first Police and Out-of-school Youth Partnership Programme (POYPP) went home with high hopes this week.

At the closing of the 15-day programme on December 5 in Thimphu, Home Minister Minjur Dorji assured the youth that the government will explore employment or higher studies opportunities for them.

He told the youth that they could choose four options – getting employed, continuing studies, getting trained as police personnel, or becoming monks or lay monks.

“We will help you get any of these opportunities according to your interest,” Lyonpo said.

Most youth, who completed the POYPP, are former substance abusers or gang members.

Some of them want to join police, some want to become drivers, while others want to do business.

One of them wants to become a dancer, another wants to become a sports teacher, and yet another, a chef. A few of them wishes to continue their studies.

The youth said they are positive that the government will do something for them.

However, they expressed some reservation about the government’s promise. One of them said that when his gang was disbanded a year ago, different ministries promised special employment considerations for them. But when they went out looking for jobs, no one kept the promise. He added that the police have always helped them but police alone cannot do much.

Lhakpa, the former leader of a disbanded gang, said the programme was effective. He said he was very thankful to the programme for “making us look like real Bhutanese citizens by providing us gho, kira, kabney, lagays, shoes and stockings”.

The only girl, who attended the programme, dropped school after Class X. She wishes to continue her studies.

The youth attending POYPP were sensitized on provisions of laws, consequences of coming in conflict with them, child rights and convention of rights of a child, policing work such as traffic, fire and jail services, youth and HIV/AIDS, and drugs and legal provisions on them.

POYPP was launched on November 21. The same programme was also organised in Paro and Phuentsholing. Funded by UNICEF and supported by National Commission for Women and Children, the programme is a police initiative to build a partnership with the youth who are out of school and unemployed.

By Tandin Pem

One Response to “Police-youth relation sees a silver lining”

1. :) says:

   January 24, 2012 at 9:26 pm

   If gang members and former drug addicts are given this provision, some may be tempted to gang and drug… After all we want employment or to continue education

   Reply